Photo: Lindsay Reid
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and the Canada Coalition for Green Schools have announced that the Amber Trails Community School in Winnipeg, Manitoba is the winner of the annual CaGBC Greenest School in Canada competition.
Located in the heart of a new neighbourhood in North Winnipeg, Amber Trails is a 78,000 sq.ft., newly constructed building that acts not just as a school, but as an open and accessible hub within the community. Designed by Prairie Architects, the school received LEED Platinum certification in 2016, and won the CaGBC?s Excellence in Green Building for New Construction award in May 2017.
The CaGBC Greenest School jury, comprised of green building industry experts from across the country, chose Amber Trails for both its excellent environmental curriculum and its dedication to maintaining a truly green building, including an ENERGY STAR score of 92 and overall energy savings of 68 per cent. They appreciated the school?s eco-positive vision that highlights community engagement, as well as the Outdoor Learning Environment, which integrates this space with the surrounding public trails and encourages teachers to take their instruction outside. Additionally, they like that the school has adopted a ?balanced? school day which allows students more time to play outside.
As the 2017 Greenest School in Canada winner, Amber Trails will receive a $2,000 cash award to put toward a new or ongoing sustainability project.
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